'14 TN DE/TE Derek Barnett (UT Signee 2/5/14)

[LynxVol]

“just every time i visited, it just got better and better - the chances of me going to tennessee,” barnett said. “i just felt at home. The coaching staff embraced me. The more i visited, that’s what i started to realize.”

“i can get away from home but not too far,” he said of his reasons for choosing tennessee. “i’ve got an opportunity to play early. Coach jones, i trust him a lot. I believe he’s going to change it around. I know he’s going to change it around. I love that recruiting class. We’re like brothers.”

“i just feel like those guys want to win, and i want to go somewhere and be playing with guys that want to win,” he said of his fellow commits. “me and rashaan (gaulden) have been homies since middle school. Rashaan has been playing with me since middle school. It’s just that little extra icing on the cake.”

“i love the tradition up there,” he said. “i love neyland. I just like the stadium. I just feel like home when i’m up there. There’s a bunch of guys in this area, friends up there, i know a bunch of people. I like it a lot up there. It’s crazy. It’s just extra stuff. Icing on the cake for my decision.”

- 247

 

[LynxVol]

“I think he’s a guy that you want on your team, a guy you want in your locker room,” 247Sports national recruiting analyst Barton Simmons said. “He’s a blue-collar type of player, the type of guy who just kind of does what’s asked of him. He’s played both sides of the ball, played through injury.

“He’s always around the football. He can play on the outside or on the interior. I just think he is the type of player that makes a team better in some ways. He finds a way to make the team better, and that’s why he’s going to be a really nice addition at Tennessee.”

“Maybe even the bigger impact that (Barnett) makes is, I think he’s just another step forward in Tennessee beginning to kind of reclaim the state,” Simmons said. “He’s one of the top prospects in the state. They got him out of Vanderbilt’s backyard, and they’ve been really surging in recruiting Nashville well.

“And, certainly, when you throw him in the mix with Todd Kelly and RaShaan Gaulden and Jalen Hurd, you’re starting to really kind of get back to the old days where Tennessee kind of just dominates the state.

“I think we’re starting to see some indications that Tennessee could be starting to head back in that direction.”

- 247

Reclaim? B. Simmons, you funny man.

 

[kw3953]

- 247

Reclaim? B. Simmons, you funny man.

Bingo. I am not sure we ever lost it. I thought and made it known Vandy would beat us last year, but history is history. PLEASE, let this squad start a new streak. :superman:

 

[Jackcrevol]

"butch is locking tennessee the **** down".

-my thoughts.

 

[volgirl99]

So is there a limit to how many kids we can take in this class? Spots are filling up everywhere like crazy! Definitely not complaining, just wondering..

 

[LynxVol]

So is there a limit to how many kids we can take in this class? Spots are filling up everywhere like crazy! Definitely not complaining, just wondering..

30 is the number.

 

[kw3953]

So is there a limit to how many kids we can take in this class? Spots are filling up everywhere like crazy! Definitely not complaining, just wondering..

Mercy! That avitar is a lot better looking than mine. :ermm:

 

[jordan4vols]

- 247

Reclaim? B. Simmons, you funny man.

I would say reclaim from Bama and Uga who have poached some of our top talent

 

[cncchris33]

Bingo. I am not sure we ever lost it. I thought and made it known Vandy would beat us last year, but history is history. PLEASE, let this squad start a new streak. :superman:

We had definitely lost it to other teams lately. Not to Vandy, if that is what Simmons was implying (though they have certainly gotten more guys than ever before recently), but to teams like Bama, Georgia, Auburn, & LSU.

 

[Vols4us]

Barnett = Malik Jackson with more upside potential. If that doesn't make you happy as a Vol fan you are dead or a member of the Dooley clan.

 

[Pacer92]

Barnett = Malik Jackson with more upside potential. If that doesn't make you happy as a Vol fan you are dead or a member of the Dooley clan.

Pretty good comparison. Barnett will be hard to handle in a couple of years....naturally strong, athletic and knack for being around the ball. Excited about our future defense!

 

[tim]

I would say reclaim from Bama and Uga who have poached some of our top talent

I recall Auburn having several Brentwood Academy kids over the years.

 

[VolinArizona]

30 is the number.

I agree this is most likely, but it's not 100%. There are scenarios, depending on how many EEs we can backcount and how many kids transfer (85 rule), where we could take up to 33 I believe. Highly highly doubtful. 30 is the best guess with 31 being possible, too.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

 

[FBtime]

 

[YorkVol]

Not to be political, but I'd like to let W tell you how I feel about DL commitments:

 

[ETNVol]

Excited about this kid. Jones is doing work!

Now where's my Turk gif... can't find it. This will have to suffice:

That one can't be overused, IMO.

 

[Eugene Hetalia]

BOOM

 

[zidanefan]

That one can't be overused, IMO.

I just thought it was important to note that even the Oregon cheerleaders are excited about Barnett committing to UT.

 

[BigOrangeD]

I just thought it was important to note that even the Oregon cheerleaders are excited about Barnett committing to UT.

:good!:

 

[ionaVOL]

This kid is a beast. He is literally tossing guys around. He is untackleable at TE and leveling qb's at DE. This guy will be a high 4-star prospect by NSD 2014.

Props Abar, great call.

 

[highspeed]

Not to be political, but I'd like to let W tell you how I feel about DL commitments:

Could Butch Jones perhaps be implementing some "strategery?"

 

[smokeyhuntsgators]

Strangest thing happened to me this morning. I decided to check the recruiting rankings and when I did, I also decided to click on the complete list and low and behold look what I discovered! Guess it was meant for me to check.

Will you all accept a late BOOM from me?

:fireworks::fireworks::fireworks:

 

[nicksjuzunk]

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Better late than never, sorry guys. :rock: